WOW, what a start to the champions’ Premier League title defence.
They went down to 10 men and fell 3-0 behind to plucky little Burnley.
An attempted comeback wasn’t helped by Cesc Fabregas joining Gary Cahill
in being sent off, but Chelsea still got it back to 3-2.
Chelsea had two players sent off as they fell to a stunning 3-2 defeat against Burnley to open their title defence.
Nine-man
Chelsea fell to a shock 3-2 home defeat against Burnley as their
Premier League title defence began with a stunning upset.
Captain
Gary Cahill was sent off after just 14 minutes for a challenge on
Steven Defour, but that was just the start of the astonishing drama at
Stamford Bridge.
Sam Vokes starred for Burnley
with two of his side’s three goals before half-time, Stephen Ward also
netting in between the Wales striker’s double.
In-form Vokes now has seven goals in his last six Premier League appearances after netting only five in the previous 58.
Antonio Conte gave Alvaro Morata 31 minutes from the substitutes’ bench on his Premier League debut and he scored with a header.
Any
hopes of a recovery were dented when Cesc Fabregas was sent off after
collecting a second booking late on, although David Luiz did set up a
grandstand finish with a powerful volley to make it 3-2 with two minutes
left. Robbie Brady then hit the post at the opposite end from a
free-kick as Burnley pushed for a fourth.
The
unexpected result is Chelsea’s first opening-day defeat for 19 years and
only the second time the Premier League’s defending champions have lost
their first game in 26 years.
Cahill’s
early departure stunned Stamford Bridge, the defender taking a heavy
touch and diving forward with his boot raised in a bid to win back
possession against Defour, with referee Craig Pawson immediately
brandishing a straight red.
It was the third
consecutive competitive match in which the Blues have received a red
card, having had Victor Moses sent off in May’s FA Cup final and Pedro
removed in last week’s Community Shield, both games against Arsenal.
Conte
made a tactical reshuffle after Cahill’s exit, Andreas Christensen
coming on for Jeremie Boga, who had been named a surprise debutant due
to Pedro’s injury.
Vokes had a header ruled out
after James Tarkowski was penalised for a foul in the build-up, but
Burnley soon scored a goal that did count as Chelsea’s afternoon took
another turn for the worst after 24 minutes.
Matt
Lowton’s right-wing cross found Vokes and he sent a bouncing volley
into the far corner, with Thibaut Courtois unable to get across in time.
Burnley
doubled their lead after 39 minutes, Ward playing a one-two with Jack
Cork before unleashing an excellent half volley into the far corner.
And
four minutes later, Burnley incredibly scored a third. A quick
free-kick led to Defour swinging in a cross from the right and an
unmarked Vokes planted a header past Courtois, with loud boos greeting
the champions when the half-time whistle was blown
Marcos
Alonso’s long-range drive was tipped over by Tom Heaton as Chelsea
registered their first shot on target early in the second half, while
Morata came on to replace the ineffective Michy Batshuayi in attack.
Heaton
made an excellent stop from Alonso’s curling free-kick, but Chelsea did
get a goal back with 21 minutes remaining, Morata swooping in to beat
the Burnley keeper with a diving header after Willian’s delivery found
him in space.
Morata tapped in again soon
after, but was denied by an offside flag after converting Christensen’s
delivery, which may have gone in had the ex-Real Madrid striker left it
Any
chance of a Chelsea recovery appeared to be at an end with nine minutes
left as Fabregas – who had been booked for sarcastically applauding a
Pawson decision in the first half – received a second yellow for a foul
on Cork.
But David Luiz then gave the Blues further hope, rifling a volley past Heaton after racing on to a Morata flick-on.
A
frantic finale continued at the other end as Brady hit the woodwork
with a set-piece as Burnley ultimately held on through four minutes of
added for a famous triumph that piles the pressure on Chelsea after
their tumultuous close-season
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